K-dramas often skyrocket to fame with stellar casts, intriguing premises, and viral marketing, but not all deliver on their promises. Based on fan votes, discussions, and critiques, here are 12 overhyped series that disappointed many viewers with issues like clichéd storytelling, pacing problems, and unmet expectations.

1. True Beauty (2020–2021)

This romantic comedy about a girl using makeup to hide her insecurities was massively promoted for its take on beauty standards, but critics found it predictable, shallow, and reliant on overused tropes without deep character development.

2. Descendants of the Sun (2016)

Hailed for its star power and action-romance blend, this story of a soldier and doctor in love fell flat with cheesy dialogue, unrealistic scenarios, and a lack of emotional depth, leading many to drop it despite the initial excitement.

3. Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (Goblin) (2016–2017)

This fantasy epic promised immortal romance and stunning visuals, but delivered slow pacing, convoluted mythology, and an unsatisfying resolution, frustrating fans who expected more from its A-list cast.

4. What's Wrong with Secretary Kim (2018)

Marketed as a fresh office rom-com, it relied heavily on clichés like the boss-secretary dynamic and failed to innovate, resulting in repetitive humor and underdeveloped side plots that didn't justify the hype.

5. It's Okay to Not Be Okay (2020)

Praised for tackling mental health, this drama came off as pretentious and slow-paced, with forced symbolism and uneven character arcs that didn't resonate as profoundly as anticipated.

6. Strong Girl Bong Soon (2017)

This superhero rom-com was buzzed for its strong female lead, but mixed inconsistent tones, problematic humor, and a dragged-out storyline, alienating viewers seeking cohesive empowerment.

7. Crash Landing on You (2019–2020)

With cross-border romance and high production values, it promised intrigue but delivered plot holes, overly sentimental moments, and a formulaic narrative that didn't sustain the initial thrill.

8. Itaewon Class (2020)

Promoted as an inspiring underdog tale, it became preachy with social issues, featuring weak romantic subplots and predictable twists that diluted its motivational core.

9. Vincenzo (2021)

This mafia-legal thriller started strong with dark humor but grew repetitive, losing momentum in later episodes and failing to maintain the cleverness that fueled its early hype.

10. The King: Eternal Monarch (2020)

Boasting parallel worlds and royal intrigue, this sci-fi romance confused audiences with a convoluted plot, underdeveloped characters, and poor pacing, not living up to its ambitious premise.

11. Boys Over Flowers (2009)

This iconic high school romance was hyped as a must-watch classic but disappointed with toxic relationships, abusive bullying, outdated tropes, and materialism that glorified harmful behaviors, falling short compared to its adaptations.

12. Hotel del Luna (2019)

This fantasy series about a hotel for ghosts was praised for its aesthetics and IU's wardrobe, but critics found it overrated with forced romance, emotionless leads, underdeveloped plots, and reliance on side stories over the main narrative.